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how the elements of coherence work in texts, they are more likely to use them appropriately to develop coherence in writing 2002, p. 35. Therefore, the
researcher implemented the arranging jumbled paragraphs activity to encourage the students identify how the sentences and paragraphs were connected to keep
the text coherent. Besides learning how to maintain the coherence of the text, identifying the
generic structure enabled the students to put the appropriate ideas in each paragraph based on the generic structure. This avoided the existence of irrelevant
information in the paragraph because each generic structure contained certain information. As a result, the students would not misplace the ideas because they
would not brainstorm all ideas in the paragraphs. Owing to the ideas limitation, the students needed to develop the topic sentence to control the organization. They
would only put ideas which supported the topic sentence to develop the paragraph. Since the students needed to analyze the organization of a text, the
teaching and learning activity was designed based on the writing curriculum. First, the teacher familiarized the students with a model of text. The students were
expected to reorder a text. When they arranged the jumbled paragraphs of a text, they needed to analyze the organization of the text deeply. Thus, they would
increase their awareness in using the pattern of organization to write a text. Since the students had to be independent in analyzing and imitating the model of text,
the researcher employed guided writing process. The next stage, joint construction of text, was done by discussing the
correct order of the text. The students practiced how to construct a text by
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reconstructing a text which was reordered. In this stage, the researcher and the students could discuss the organization of a text. From the reconstructed text, the
researcher might demonstrate how to organize a text. In the last stage, the students were asked to write their own texts
independently. The students would use their knowledge acquired from the previous stages. In order to assess their writing organization, the researcher used
analytic scoring. Analytic scoring enabled the researcher to assess each aspect of paragraph writing skill Hughes, 1989, p. 91.
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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter will discuss the methodology used in the research. The discussion involves research method, research setting and participants, research
instruments, data gathering technique, data analysis technique and research procedure.
3.1 Research Method
The researcher conducted the research to examine the use of arranging jumbled paragraphs to help students improve their paragraph writing skill. The
students found difficulty in organizing their paragraphs. They put many ideas in one paragraph. In order to improve their paragraph writing skill, Classroom
Action Research or CAR was conducted. The researcher used Classroom Action Research because it is usually
employed to improve students’ performance in a local area or school. Kemmis 1988, as cited by Blaxter, Hughes, and Tight 1996, p.63, states that:
Action research is a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social including education situations in order to improve
the rationality and justice of a their own social educational practices, b their understanding of these practices, and c the situations in which
the practices are carried out.
CAR enabled the researcher to identify the problem and determine the solution to a problem in the school. Thus, this method was suitable for this research.
22 The purpose of Classroom Action Research is to improve students’
performance through the application of the scientific method. The results of Classroom Action Research are discovery of better strategies, media, techniques,
or assessment systems to help the students learn. Ebbutt 1985 expects that those discoveries will improve educational practice in school as cited in Hopkins,
2008, p. 48. Considering the purpose of Classroom Action Research, in this research, the researcher tried to improve the paragraph writing skills of XA
students of SMA Mikael in the academic year 20112012. From the observation, the researcher found that the students needed to
improve their paragraph writing skills. They usually had difficulty in organizing their paragraph based on the generic structure. When they wrote their recount
texts, many students mixed all information in one paragraph. In the paragraph, the students introduced the characters involved and told the readers about the event or
series of events which happened in the story. They did not put the information using the generic structure. In recount texts, the characters must be introduced in
the first paragraph which is called orientation and followed by the events in the next paragraph.
Besides having difficulty in writing texts based on the correct organization, the students also found difficulty in analyzing the generic structure.
Their lack of independence and carefulness in analyzing the organization resulted in failure. As a result, they depended on the teacher for explanation and
assistance. In order to improve the students’ learning performance, the researcher used arranging jumbled paragraphs activity.
23 Carr and Kemmis 1986, as cited in McNiff and Whitehead 2003, p.
46, design map of steps of Classroom Action Research in the form of ‘Kemmis’ action research spiral’ or The Kemmis diagram. This diagram becomes the basis
to design the steps involved in Classroom Action Research. Kemmis and McTaggart add that the steps described in the spiral are developing a plan of
critically informed action to improve what is happening, acting to implement the plan, observing the effects of the critically informed action, and reflecting on the
effects as the basis for further planning Burns, 1991, p. 32. Those steps are applied in one cycle.
Figure 3.1 The Action Research Spiral Burns, 1991, p. 33
Based on the Action Research Spiral in Figure 3.1, the researcher developed planned steps to conduct the research to improve paragraph writing
skills of XA students in SMA Santo Mikael Sleman, academic year 20112012.
